Riot Games introduces Corrode in Season 2025 // Act IV, a tactical masterclass of medieval-meets-industrial warfare built to challenge your every move.
It’s time to adjust your crosshairs and rethink your plays—VALORANT’s newest map, Corrode, launches on June 25, ushering in a fresh battleground with the debut of Season 2025 // Act IV. Designed by Riot Games to combat ability overload and reward tight strategy, Corrode combines ancient architecture, industrial decay, and high-stakes tactical design into one of the most visually striking maps yet.
Set on the climate-ravaged world of Omega Earth, Corrode throws players into a French castle town-turned-radianite salt mining facility, where howling storms and crystallized salt crusts meet the rusted steel of a post-First Light industrial nightmare.
🧂 Tactical Terrain: Corrode Map Overview
Corrode features:
- 2 Spike Sites
- 3-lane map layout
- Layered defenses with fallback positions
- Reduced ability spam meta by design
This isn’t just another map; it’s a deeply strategic playground. Riot emphasizes on-site defender plays, simplifying mid to allow smoother rotations and counterplay. As Joey Simas, VALORANT’s Lead Map Designer, puts it:
“Corrode is a culmination of everything we’ve learned over the years—especially in handling the frustration around oppressive Agent utility. It’s built to reward smart, deliberate decision-making.”
To ease players into this new layout, Corrode will enter the competitive pool immediately on June 25, with an innovative system: 50% less RR lost for losses and full RR gains for wins on Corrode during the first two weeks of launch.
From June 25–30, there will also be a Swiftplay-exclusive Corrode queue, giving players a quick way to learn the lanes and sharpen their site takes.
🌪️ Salt Storms & Storytelling
More than just gameplay, Corrode pushes VALORANT’s world-building forward. Set in the aftermath of First Light, it captures the raw power of radianite storms.
“We imagined what happens when salt replaces sea,” explains Daniel McGowan, Senior Art Director. “With castle spires crusted in crystal, whirling supercell storms, and active mining rigs dotting the horizon, Corrode’s visuals tell the story of a world forever changed.”
Look closely and you’ll spot:
- A raging supercell storm in the distance
- ATLAS carriers rumbling through salt flats
- Moving trains and mining trucks, all hinting at a living world beyond the gunfire
💥 New Skins & Battlepass Details
Launching alongside Corrode is the sleek Phaseguard Collection—a weapon skinline oozing with futuristic precision. Weapons in the collection include:
- Vandal
- Outlaw
- Ghost
- Bulldog
- Splitter (a new melee weapon)
The Battlepass for Season 2025 // Act IV also drops on June 25 (1,000 VP), packed with themed cosmetics across free and premium tracks. Some standouts include:
Free Track
- ATLAS // CMD Classic
- Bonsai Gun Buddy
- 5 Years: Kill All Radiants Card
- Crispy Shot Spray
Paid Track
- ATLAS // CMD Vandal
- Space Piercer Sheriff
- Perch Phantom
- Surprise Portal Play (Animated Spray)
- ATLAS // CMD Baton (Melee)
Armand Asdourian, Game Product Manager, adds:
“We want players to feel confident jumping into Corrode without fear of deranking. This is a new direction not just for maps—but for how we launch them.”
📅 Mark Your Calendars
- Corrode Map Launch: June 25, 2025
- Phaseguard Collection Available: June 26, 2025
- Corrode Swiftplay Queue: June 25–30
- RR Bonus System Active: June 25–July 9
Get ready to rewrite your strats. With new terrain, reduced utility spam, and an aesthetic clash of medieval grit and futuristic decay, Corrode promises a tactical experience like no other.
